The Cars

Background:

“People tell me all the time that I look forbidding or aloof. That doesn't bother me much. I am fairly private, withdrawn and distant, I guess. But, um, I think that's okay.” Ric Ocasek

Ric Ocasek is best known as the lead singer, rhythm guitarist and primary songwriter for the American rock group The Cars. Founded in Boston in 1976, the band rocketed to stardom with their debut album “The Cars” (1978), which made the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 and received multiple platinum certification from RIAA. Along with lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr (died in 2000), guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson, Ocasek continued to enjoy success with multi platinum records like “Candy-O” (1979), “Shake It Up” (1981) and “Heartbeat City” (1984) although The Cars broke up in February 1988. Ocasek wrote the group's four Top 10 hits “Shake It Up,” “You Might Think,” “Drive” and “Tonight She Comes.” After over two decades, the surviving Cars were reunited in 2010. In May 2011, they released a new album titled “Move Like This,” their first since 1987's “Door to Door.” Ocasek began his solo career in 1982 with “Beatitude” while The Cars went on hiatus. Since then, he has released seven solo records, including “This Side of Paradise” (1986), “Fireball Zone” (1991), “Quick Change World” (1993), “Negative Theater” (1993, European release only), “Getchertikitz” (1996), “Troublizing” (1997) and “Nexterday” (2005). His most popular solo single, “Emotion in Motion” (1986), rose to No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and hit the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. Ocasek has also produced for a wide variety of other artists over the years.

Richard Otcasek

Childhood and Family:

Richard T. Otcasek, who would later be famous as Ric Ocasek, was born on March 23, 1949, in Baltimore, Maryland. When he was 16, his father, who was a computer analyst for NASA, was transferred to Cleveland, Ohio. It was during this period that he developed a love for music through early rockers like Buddy Holly & The Crickets. After graduating high school in Cleveland, he attended Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio. He later moved to Boston and formed The Cars.

After his first marriage ended in divorce, Ric married Suzanne Otcasek in 1984. They had three children, Derek Otcasek, Eron J. Otcasek and Christopher Otcasek, before divorcing. Ric was still married to Suzanne when he met model Paulina Porizkova on the set of the music video for The Car's song “Drive.” The two, who have a 16 year age gap, eventually married on August 23, 1989. In May 1993, Paulina gave birth to the couple's first child, Jonathan Raven Ocasek. Their second child, Oliver Orion Ocasek, was born on May 23, 1998.

Emotion in Motion

Career:

After moving to Boston, Ric Ocasek played in a string of groups. His breakout success arrived when he formed the band The Cars in 1976 with longtime friend Benjamin Orr, whom he met while in Ohio, keyboardist Greg Hawkes, lead guitarist Elliot Easton and drummer David Robinson. Ocasek sang lead vocals and was the principal song writer of the band. He also played rhythm guitar and synthesizer.

Signed to Elektra Records in 1977, The Cars released their eponymous debut album on June 6, 1978. The album peaked at No. 18 on the Billboard 200 and was certified platinum by RIAA on December 27, 1978. It has since achieved 6x platinum certification in the U.S. The album produced three hit singles with “Just What I Needed,” “My Best Friend's Girl” and “Good Times Roll,” which rose to No. 27, No. 35 and No. 41 on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. Ocasek wrote all these three songs and five more tracks on the album and co-wrote a track titled “Moving in Stereo” with Hawkes. He provided lead vocals on “My Best Friend's Girl” and “Good Times Roll.”

Ocasek and his band mates resurfaced with “Candy-O” on June 3, 1979. The album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and went platinum within two months thanks to the hit singles “Let's Go” (#14) and “It's All I Can Do” (#41). The third single, “Double Life,” failed to chart. “Candy-O” has since been certified 4x platinum by RIAA. Released on August 15, 1980, the third studio album, “Panorama,” hit the No. 5 spot on the Billboard 200 and went platinum in the U.S. Three singles were released from the album but only “Touch and Go” successfully charted on the Billboard Hot 100 when it rose to No. 37.

The Cars released the fourth album, “Shake It Up,” on November 6, 1981. It peaked at No. 9 on the Billboard 200 and went double platinum in the U.S. Ocasek provided lead vocals on the three of the four singles released from the album: “Shake It Up” (#4 US Hot 100, #2 US Rock), “Since You're Gone” (#41 US Hot 100, #24 US Rock) and “Victim of Love” (#39 US Rock). After their 1982 tour, The Cars took a short break.

It was during the break that Ocasek launched his solo debut album, “Beatitude,” on December 30, 1982, on Geffen Records. The album, which Ocasek produced, featured an appearance by Cars' member Greg Hawkes on keyboards. The first single, “Something to Grab For,” rose to No. 47 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 5 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. The follow up singles, “Jimmy Jimmy” and “Connect Up to Me,” charted at No. 25 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks and No. 37 on the Hot Dance Club Songs, respectively.

Ocasek was reunited with The Cars for the album “Heartbeat City,” which was released on March 13, 1984. A first partnership with producer Robert John 'Mutt' Lange, the album peaked at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 and received 4x platinum in the U.S. The album was also a success in the U.K. (#25), New Zealand (#1), “Germany (#15), Australia (#15) and Switzerland (#20). The album spawned five hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100 with “You Might Think” (#7), “Magic” (#12), “Drive” (#3), “Hello Again” (#20) and “"Why Can't I Have You” (#33), with the first two singles also hitting the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. A successful compilation album, “Greatest Hits,” was released on October 25, 1985, by Elektra Records. It made the Top 20 on the Billboard 200 and was certified 6x platinum by RIAA. The first single, “Tonight She Comes,” went to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks. Following this, The Cars took time off again to pursue solo projects.

On September 15, 1986, Ocasek released his second solo album, “This Side of Paradise.” The lead single, “Emotion in Motion,” rose to No. 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 1 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks. The second single, “True to You,” peaked at No. 75 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 9 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks.

On August 25, 1987, Ocasek and the band were reunited for the album “Door to Door,” which charted at No. 26 on the Billboard 200. The album spawned three singles with “You Are the Girl,” “Strap Me In” and “Coming Up You,” which rose to No. 17, No. 85 and No. 74, respectively, on the Billboard Hot 100 with the first two hits also charting on No. 2 and No. 4 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart, respectively. Unlike their previous records, “Door to Door” only went gold in the U.S. and The Cars disbanded in February 1988.

After the breakup of The Cars, Ocasek withdrew from the public eye for a couple of years and resurfaced with his album “Fireball Zone,” which was released on June 25, 1991, on Reprise Records. He co-produced the album with Nile Rodgers. One track, “Rockaway,” received a short stay on the charts. His next solo effort, “Quick Change World,” followed on September 28, 1993. It was his last album with Reprise. The same year, he also released “Negative Theater” in Europe through Warner EU. Ocasek continued to release other solo efforts for various labels, including 1996's “Getchertikitz” (Sound Effects), 1997's “Troublizing” (Sony Entertainment) and 2005's “Nexterday” (Sanctuary/Inverse).

In 2010, Ocasek was reunited with the surviving members of The Cars (Benjamin Orr died of pancreatic cancer on October 3, 2000). The Cars released a new album titled “Move Like This” on May 10, 2011, on the Hear Music label. The album, which is the group's first album since 1987's “Door to Door,” rose to No. 7 on the Billboard 200. The lead single, “Sad Song,” charted at No. 25 on the Billboard Rock Chart.

Ocasek also produced Bad Brains' “Rock for Light,” Guided by Voices' “Do the Collapse” and Weezer's “Blue Album” and “Green Album.” Other artists he has worked with include Suicide, Romeo Void, Hole, Bebe Buell, No Doubt, Nada Surf, Irish folk-punk band Black 47, Bad Religion, Johnny Bravo, D Generation, The Wannadies, Possum Dixon, Martin Rev, Jonathan Richman, and Pink Spiders.

Awards:
---